Saddle block for power shovels



Aug-"20, 1940- s. l.. G. KNox 2,211,783

SADDLE BLOCK FOR POWER SHOVELS Filed Jan. ll, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEYS.

Aug- 20, 1940 s. l.. G. KNox 2,211,783

SADDLE BLOCK FOR POWER SHOVELS Filed Jan. ll, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 i? i9 777/2' ,/Z

e1bn/Erima BY QKQWHW 'r @WW1 ATTORNEYS.

Patented Aug. 20, 1940 PATENT FFICE SADDLE BLooKl Fon POWER snovELs Samuel L. G. Knox, Englewood, N. J., assignor to Bueyrus-Erie Company, South Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of Delaware Application January 11, 1939, Serial No. 250,260

19 Claims.

My invention relates to new and useful irnprovements in saddle blocks for power-shovels.

Power shovels are well known in the art. In the standard type, a. digging dipper mounted on the end of a dipper handle, reciprocates with respect to a fixed axis and swings about that axis in a vertical plane. The axle at that axis is known to the trade as a shipper-shaft. On the shipper-shaft is pivoted a saddle block, through which the dipper-handle reciprocates.

It is the principal object of this present invention to devise an improved saddle block, more particularly for a tubular dipper-handle which is reciprocated by means of ropes anchored at its two extremities, and passing over sheaves axled on the shipper-shaft.

In addition to my principal object, above stated, I have worked out a number of novel and useful details, which will be readily evident as the description progresses.

My invention consists in the novel parts and in the combination and arrangement thereof, which are dened in the appended claims, and of which two embodiments are exemplified in the accompanying drawings, which are hereinafter particularly described and explained.

Throughout the description, the same reference number is applied to the same member or to similar members.

Figure 1 is aside elevation of a power-shovel of the sort for which my saddle block is designed.

Figure 2 is a plan View of one variant of my saddle block, with a certain portion cut away. It is taken along the lines 2-2 of Figure 4.

Figure 3 is a central vertical longitudinal section of this variant, taken along the lines 3-3 of Figure 4.

Figure 4 is a central vertical transverse section of this rst variant, taken along the lines 4 4 of Figure-3.

Figure 5 is an underneath view of this rst variant, taken along the lines 5-5 of Figure 3.

Figure 6 is a plan View of a second variant of my saddle block, taken along the lines 6-6 of Figure '7.

Figure '7 is a central vertical longitudinal section of this second variant, taken along the lines 1-1 of Figure 8.

Figure 8 is a central vertical transverse section of this second variant, taken along the lines 8--8 of Figure '7.

Figure 9 is an underneath view of this second variant, taken along the lnies 9 9 of Figure 7.

Figure 10 is a vertical transverse section of a portion of this second variant, taken along the lines Iii-I6 of Figure '1.

Figure 1l is a portion of Figure 8, altered to show a third variant of my saddle block.

Turning now to Figure l, We see that 2| is the main propelling base of a power-shovel. On this base there is mounted as a turntable the upper works 22,l 4containing a hoist winch 23 and a thrust winch 24. A boom 25 extends diagonally upward and forward from the turntable, and carries adjacent its outer end a shippershaft 26.

A triangular truss structure 21, supported by boom 25 and A-frame 28, carries at its outer apex hoist sheaves 29.

In a saddle block 30, pivoted on the shippershaft 26, there reciprocates a tubular dipperhandle 3|, carrying a digging dipper 32. Hoist rope 33 extends from winch 22 over sheaves 29 to dipper 32. Thrust rope 34 and retracting rope 35 extend from winch 24 over sheaves Orr the shipper-shaft 26 to anchorages on the two extremities of handle 3|.

The first variant of my saddle'block, exemplified by Figures 2 to 5 will now be described.

Shipper shaft 26 carries journaled thereon two double sheaves 36 for the thrust rope and retracting rope, and roller 31 to support the tubular handle 3|. 38-38 represent portions of the boom 25 in which the the shipper-shaft 26 is in turn journaled.

Journaled on the shipper-shaft are also the two yoke-arms 39, into each of which is firmly secured, as by welding, one end of the torsion box or element 40, which is preferably cylindrical and hollow. The torsion element and the two yoke-arms together constitute a torsion yoke.

Just below the torsion-box 40 is a long I-beam 4|. Its I-section is shown in Figure 4. A crosssection of its web, with one of its anges in the background, is shown in Figure 3. And the top edges of its two iianges are shown in Figure 2.

At each side of this I-beam is a strap 42, spaced from it in the center, and touching it and secured to it as by Welding near its ends.

A similar I-beam 43 is similarly disposed below, but the central portion of its web is cut away to permit the passage of sheaves 36 and roller 31, and the edges of the remainder of the web are bent down for stilening, as shown at 44. Straps 45 are disposed with respect to it, similarly to straps 42 with respect to I-beam 4|. See more particularly Figures 4 and 5.

I-beam 4| and straps 42, and I-beam 43 and straps 45, are point connected, at 46 and 41 respectively, to yoke-arms 39. These connections may be pins as,shown, or weldings.

At each end of the assembly formed by these two I-beams and four straps, is a pair of springsupported elements 48, to Serve as yieldable guides for the tubular handle 3|. These guides are carried by a sort of box formed by the ends of the I-beams 4| and 43, bottom plates 49, top .plates 50, and cross straps 5|. For details of the guide-mounting, see Figure 10.

Brace rods 5.2 extend from opposite top plates 50 across the top of torsion-box 40.

Hoist ropes 33 and sheaves 28 are preferably twinned as shown in Figure 2 of U. S. Patent No. 2,140,460, issued December 13, 1938, to Carl. E. Stiehl, for improvements in Power shovels. These twin ropes, as there described and claimed. take up any tendency of my handle 3| to rotate about its longitudinal axis. And, as in that patent, any tendency toward side-thrust is resisted by my spring-supported guides 48. ABut from this point on, I depart from and improve upon the teachings of that patent.

The side-thrust, having been transmitted by the springs to my two I-beams 4| and 43, is by them imparted through the point-connections 46 and 41 to the yoke arms 39. In this connection it is important, although not absolutely essential, that these yoke-arms be sufliciently non-rigid so as to be slightly warpable. that the right hand end of handle 3| moves toward the observer, and its left hand end away from him. This will tend to impart a left hand movement of near point-connections 46 and 41, and a right hand movement of the corresponding far point-connections; and corresponding opposite reactions by the two ends of the shippershaft 26. Thus we have two couples, each formed by the resultant of the two point-connections in one direction and the reaction of the shipper-shaft in the other direction. One couple tends to rotate the near yoke-arms 39 counterclockwise; the other couple tends to rotate the far yoke-arms 39 clockwise. These two attempted rotations are resisted by pure torsion in the torsion-box 40. It might be thought, inasmuch as the two point connections on each side are a diilerent distance from the shippershaft, also from the torsion-box, and as the sidethrust of the clipper handle tends to move each of them the same distance as the other, that this situation would involve a mechanical impossibility. But such is not the case. In the rst place the actual movement is almost negligible, being effectively resisted by torsion as above described. In the second place, I have already stated that the yoke-arms are preferably slightly warpable. And in the third place, due to the fact that the upper pins 46 connect the yoke arms to upper I-beam 4|, and that the lower pins 41 connect the yoke-arms to lower I-beam 43, a slight distortion of the saddle block into a warped nonrectangular parallelopiped, will prevent any further constraint from being imposed upon the motion of the four pins, thus permitting the entire side-thrust of the handle to be converted into pure torsion on the ends of the torsion-box 40, as already stated.

The torsion-box need not be where shown in Figures 2 to 5. In fact, there may be some advantage in combining the torsion-box and the shipper-shaft as lone element, as shown in Figures 6 to 9. In the claims, wherever I recite both a torsion-box and a shipper-shaft it is to be understood that I do not thereby intend to imply that they are two separate elements, the doctrine of exhausting of elements to the contrary notwithstanding.

Let us now consider the device of Figures 6 to 9. Here similarly numbered parts are as already described, except as follows.

Combined torsion-box and shipper-shaft 53 takes the place of separate torsion-box and shipper-shaft 26. Full length straps 54 take the place of top plates 50. Sheaves 58 mounted on the outside ends of shipper-shaft 26, take the place of sheaves 36 mounted near its center as Assume in Figure 3- in the former variant. Straps 59 below the torsion-box 53, take the place oi' straps 52 above the torsion-box 40. Lower I-beam 43 is cut away in two places, instead of one, to permit the passage of two rollers 56, in place of the single roller 31 of the other variant. 'Ihese two rollers are journaled in depending triangular brackets 51 secured to straps 53 and I-beam 43. Yoke-arms 39 are sufiiciently altered so as to be given a new number, 60.

A further variant would be, in Figures 6 to 9, to build the shipper-shaft 6| within and substantially concentric with torsion-box 62, rather than integral therewith. This third variant is shown in Figure 11, in which the concentric shippershaft is numbered 6|.

Having now described and illustrated two forms of my invention, I wish it to be understood that my invention is not to be' limited to the speciilc form or arrangement of parts herein described and shown, except in so iar as such limitations are specied in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a saddle block assembly for power-V shovels, the combination of: a shipper-shaft; roller means, supported thereby, to support the dipper-handle; a frame, sidewardly resilient means, carried by this frame, to guide the dipperhandle; two warpable yoke-arms, rotatably supported by the shipper-shaft; a torsion-box connecting the two yoke-arms, to form with them a yoke; and substantially point connections between the frame and the two yoke-arms, whereby to support the frame on the yoke-arms, and to convert side thrust of the dipper-handle against the guide means into a tendency of the two yoke-arms to rotate in opposite directions, this tendency in turn being converted into torsion and being resisted by the torsion-box.

2. In a saddle block assembly for powershovels, the combination of a shipper shaft; means, supported thereby, to support the dipperhandle; a frame, sidewardly resilient means, carried by this frame, to guide the dipper-handle; two yoke-arms; a torsion-box connecting the two yoke-arms, to form with them a yoke; and substantially point connections between the frame and the two yoke-arms. whereby to support the frame on the yoke-arms, and to convert side thrust of the dipper-handle against the guide means into a tendency of the two yoke-arms to rotate in opposite directions, this tendency in turn being converted into torsion and being resisted by the torsion-box.

3. In a saddle block assembly' for powershovels, the combination of: a shipper-shaft; a frame, sidewardly resilient means, carried by this frame, to guide the dipper-handle; two Warpable yoke-arms, rotatably supported by the shippershaft; a torsion element connecting the two yoke-arms; and connections between the frame and the two yoke-arms, whereby to support the frame on the yoke-arms, and to convert side thrust of the dipper-handle against the guide means into a tendency of the two yoke-'arms to rotate in opposite directions, this tendency in turn being converted into torsion and being resisted by the torsion element.

4. In a saddle block assembly for powershovels, the combination of: a shipper-shaft; a frame, means, carried by this frame, to guide the dipper-handle; two yoke-arms, rotatably supported by the shipper-shaft; a torsion-bc7 Mmnecting the two yoke-arms; and substr` point connections between the frame and the two yoke-arms, whereby to support the frame on the yoke-arms, and to convert side thrust of the dipper-handle against the guide means into a tendency of the two yoke-arms to rotate in opposite directions, this tendency in turn being converted into torsion and being resisted by the torsion-box.

5. In a saddle block assembly for powershovels, the combination of: a shipper-shaft; a frame, means, carried by this frame, to guide the dipper-handle; two yoke-arms, rotatably supported by the shipper-shaft; a torsion element connecting the two yoke-arms; and connections between the frame and the two yoke-arms, whereby to support the frame on the yoke-arms, and to convert side thrust of the dipper handle against the guide means into a tendency of the two yokearms to rotate in opposite directions, this tendency in turn being converted into torsion and being resisted by the torsion-element.

6. In a saddle block assembly for powershovels, the combination of: a shipper-shaft; a frame, means, carried by this frame, to guide the dipper-handle; two yoke-arms, rotatably supported by the shipper-shaft; a torsion-box connecting the two yoke-arms; and substantially point connections between the frame and the two yoke-arms, whereby to convert side thrust of the dipper handle against the guide means into a tendency of the two yoke-arms to rotate in opposite directions, this tendency in turn being converted into torsion and being resisted by the torsion-box.

'7. In a saddle block assembly for powershovels, the combination of: a shipper-shaft; a frame, means, carried by this frame, to guide the dipper-handle; two yoke-arms, rotatably supported by the shipper-shaft; a torsion-box connecting the two yoke-arms; and connections between the frame and the two yoke-arms, whereby to convert side thrust of the dipper handle against the guide means into a tendency of the two yoke-arms to rotate in opposite directions, this tendency in turn being converted into torsion and being resisted by the torsion-box.

8. In a saddle block assembly for power shovels, the combination of: a shipper-shaft; a frame, means, carried by this frame, to guide the dipper-handle; two yoke-arms, rotatably supported by the shipper-shaft; a cylindrical torsion element connecting the yoke-arms; and connections between the frame and the yokearms, whereby to convert side thrust of the dipper handle against the guide means into a tendency of the yoke-arms to rotate in opposite directions, this tendency in turn being converted into torsion and being resisted by the torsionbox.

9. A saddle block assembly according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that the shippershaft and the torsion-box are integral.

l0. A saddle block assembly according to claim 2, characterized by the fact that the shippershaft and the torsion-box are substantially concentric.

11. A saddle block assembly according to claim 3, characterized by the fact that the shippershaft and the torsion-element are integral.

12. A saddle block assembly according to claim 4, characterized by the fact that the shippershaft and the torsion-box are integral.

13. A saddle block assembly according to claim 5, characterized by the fact that the shippershaft and the torsion element are integral.

14. A saddle block assembly according to claim 6, characterized by the fact that the shippershaft and the torsion-box are integral.

15. A saddle block assembly according to claim 8, characterized by the fact that the shippershaft and the torsion element are integral.

16. In a saddle block assembly for powershovels, the combination of: a shipper-shaft; roller means, supported thereby, to support the dipper-handle; a frame, sidewardly resilient means, carried by this frame, to guide the dipperhandle; two yoke-arms, rotatably supported by the shipper-shaft; a torsion-box connecting the two yoke-arms; and substantially point connections between the frame and the two yokearms, whereby to support the frame on the side portions, and to convert side thrust of the dipper-handle against the guide means into a tendency of the two yoke-arms to rotate in opposite directions, this tendency in turn being converted into torsion and being resisted by the torsion-box; the same being further characterized by the fact that the shipper-shaft and the torsion-box are separate and distinct elements.

17. In a saddle block assembly for powershovels, the combination of: a shipper-shaft; a frame, sidewardly resilient means, carried by this frame, to guide the dipper-handle; two yoke-arms, rotatably supported by the shippershaft; a torsion-box connecting the two yokearms; and means whereby to support the frame on the yoke-arms, and to convert side thrust of the dipper-handle against the guide means into a tendency of the two yoke-arms to rotate in opposite directions, this tendency in turn being Vconverted into torsion and being resisted by the torsion-box; the same being further characterized by the fact that the shipper-shaft and the torsion-box'are separate and distinct elements.

18. In a saddle block assembly for powershovels, the combination of a shipper-shaft; a frame, means, carried by this frame, to guide the dipper-handle; two yoke-arms, rotatably supported by the shipper-shaft; a torsion-box connecting the two yoke-arms; and substantially point connections between the frame and the two yoke-arms, whereby to support the frame on the yoke-arms, and to convert side thrust of the dipper-handle against the guide means into a tendency of the two yoke-arms to rotate in opposite directions, this tendency in turn being converted into torsion and being resisted by the torsion-box; the same being further characterized by the fact that the shipper-shaft and the torsion-box are separate and distinct elements.

19. In a saddle block assembly for powershovels, the combination of: a shipper-shaft; a frame, means, carried by this frame, to guide the dipper-handle; two yoke-arms, rotatably supported by the shipper-shaft; a torsion-box connecting the two yoke-arms; and connections between the frame and the two yoke-arms, whereby to convert side thrust o the dipperhandle against the guide means into a tendency of the two yoke-arms to rotate in opposite directions, this tendency in turn being converted into torsion and being resisted by the torsion-box; the same being further characterized by the fact that the shipper-shaft and the torsion-box 'are separate and distinct elements.

SAMUEL L. G. KNOX. 

